Conceptualising Colour-Changing Expiry Labels for Medication Safety in Pharmaceutical Packaging
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Abstract
Introduction: Expired medicines pose significant risks to patient safety and contribute to pharmaceutical waste. In most pharmacy settings, expiry monitoring remains manual, which is time-consuming and prone to error. This paper presents a novel conceptual framework for smart colour-changing labels that visually indicate remaining shelf life through green, yellow, and red stages. The proposed system integrates principles of pharmaceutical technology, materials science, and chemical kinetics to support proactive medication safety and inventory management. Potential mechanisms include structural-coloured polymers and controlled-release microcapsules, with mathematical modelling linking label colour transitions to expected drug potency over time. While no prototype has yet been developed, this work establishes a theoretical foundation for future experimental validation, feasibility assessment, and integration into pharmaceutical packaging workflows. The proposed approach has the potential to enhance expiry tracking, reduce medication errors, optimise stock rotation, and improve confidence in pharmaceutical quality and safety.
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Journal of Pharmacy at https://journals.iium.edu.my/ktn/index.php/jp is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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